Device for ink branding



.April 261v 1932" A. L'. scoTT EVT AL Y 1,855,927

DEVICE FOR INK BRANDING Filed oct.' 17, 1929 2 sheets-sheet 1 el/leases A914126, 1932. A. sco-r1' E'r AL 1,855,927

DEVICE FOR-INK BRANDING Filed Oct. 17, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 type Patented Apr. 26, 1.932

UNITED STATES PATENT oEFlcE ARCHIE L. SCOTT AND GUSTAV SGHULER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TOv .SWIFT AND COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS DEVICE FOR INK BRANIDING Application led ctober 17, 1929. Serial No. 400,320.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved branding device for marking meats with ink; to provide a 'device of this kind having an individual piece of for forming each letter of a mark; to

l provide means for individually and yieldably improved support on which a supporting each piece. of type so as to allow relative movement of the type for producing sharply defined letters on irregular surfaces; to provide an improved structure for yieldably holding a plurality of pieces of type in related positions and in adjacent rows forming an assembled unit which may be conveniently mounted on a support; to provide an plurality of such units may be mounted in arcuately spaced relation .for rapidly applying a series of identical trade or brand marks on a piece of meat; to provide improved inking apparatus for uniformly covering theV printing surfaces ofsaid type with Ya film of ink bevice shown in Fig. 1.

P.' the other end.

mounted type.

fore the type is engaged upon the meat.

An illustrative embodiment of our invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of our improved ink branding device.

Fig. 2 is a plane View of the branding de- Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig'. 1.

In the form shown the branding device includes a yoke having a handle on one end and a polygonal wheel rotatably mounted on Each side of the polygonal wheel is provided with a printing unit which comprises spaced series of yieldably An inking apparatus is carried by the yoke in a position to engage the e printing surfaces of the type when the wheel is rotated.

'In the form illustrated,l the yoke 1 has a handle 2 at one end and an axle 3 on its other end, on which is journaled a polygonal wheel 4 comprising a central web 5 and a cylindrical rim 6. The rim 6 has outwardly extending anges 7 on its edge portions which form a peripheral groove 8.

Mounted on each side of the'polygonal JU wheel 4 is a type holding unit which comprises inner and outer plates 9 and 10 respec tively having registering apertures therein. The outer plate extends completely across the width of the wheel and is secured to the extremities of the `flanges 7 by'bolts 11. The inner plate 10 is suspended from the outer plate 9 by bolts 12, which extend through sleeves 13 located between the two plates to retain them in spaced relation.

Two series or rows of type 14 each comprising a stem 15, are slidably mounted in the type holding units. l The stems 15 extend through. registering pairs of openings in the plates 9 and 10 respectively, and are secured against vdisplacement from the holders by pins 15 which normally bear against the inner side of the plate 9.

The stems 15 each have a section of rec-l tangular cross-section whichis seated in a correspondingly shaped aperture in the plate 9 for securing the type against turning and the remainder of each stem is cylindrical. A helical spring 17 is mounted4 on the cylindrical part of each stem 15 between the inner and outer plates 9 and 10,1espectively, so as to bear between the'inner plate and the pin 16. The springs 17 normally. urge the type 14 outwardly in radial directions relative to the axis upon which` the wheel is rotatably mounted. Formed on the sides of the yoke lare slotted arms 18 on which an ink reservoir roll 19 is mounted. The roll 19 is tubular. in form, has perforations in its periphery through which ink may pass, and comprises an axle 2O which extends into the slots of the arms 18. It is secured against displacement by latches 21 on the arms 18.

A felt covering 19.1 covers the perfora-V tions and absorbs the ink as it flows from the interior of the reservoir. The reservoir may be filled through a filling inlet which is normally closed by a threaded plug 20.1.

A composition inking roll 22 comprising an axle 23 is journaled in slots 24 formed in the sides of the yoke 1. The axle 23 is held against displacement by latches 25 on the opposite sides of the yoke which normally hold the roll in engagement with the reservoir roll 19 and the of the type.

In operation, the reservoir 19 transfers ink to the composition roll 22, which in turn applies a film of ink ontol the printing surface of the type. The device is gripped by the handle 2 and rolled over the surface of the meat. Each printing unit applies a brand or mark on the meaththus forming a series of identical, or different marks if desired, in close proximity to each other. Each letter of the mark is formed by an individual piece of type which is yieldably supported in independent relation to the rest of the type, thereby allowing the type to conform with irregularities of the surface of the meat.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described, it will be understood that details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention, as defined by the following claims: f

We claim:

l. branding device for meats comprising a rotatable support, a type holder removably mounted on said support comprising a pair of spaced plates having registering apertures therein, a plurality of pieces of type each having a stem slidably mounted in said apertures, pins extending through said stems adjacent the inner side of the outermost plate for securing said type against displacement, and springs on said stems bearing between the innermost plate and said Vprinting surfaces pins for individually urging said pieces of type outwardly from the support.

2. A branding device for meats compriseach having a stem slidably mounted in said apertures, pins extending through said stems adjacent the inner side of the outermost plate for securing said type against displacement, and springs on saidstems bearing between the innermost plate and said pins for individually urging said pieces of type outwardly from the support.

4. In a branding device of the class described, a handle comprising a yoke, a polygonal wheelrotatably mounted on said yoke, a plurality of type holding units removably mounted on said Wheel, type slidably mounted on said units adapted for radial movement relative tothe axis of said wheel, an ink reservoir on said yoke, an inking roll on said yoke adapted to engage said reservoir and the printing surfaces of said type for transferring ink from said reservoir to said type, and means for yieldably pressing said type against said inking roller.

Signed at Chicago thisllth day of October, 1929.

ARCI-IIE L. SCOTT. y GUSTAVE SCHULER.

ing a rotatable support, a type holder removably mounted on said support comprising a pair ofspaced plates having registering apertures therein, a plurality of pieces of type each having a stem slidably mounted in said apertures, pins extending through said stems adjacent the inner side of the outermost plate for securing said type against displacement, springs on said stems bearing between the innermost plate and said pins for individually urging said pieces of type outwardly from the support, a handle on said support, and inking apparatus on said handle adapted to bearon the type against the action of said springs for applying a .ilm ofink on the printing surfaces ofsaid type under pressure during the rotation of said support.

3. ln a branding device of the class described, a polygonal support having a peripheral groove, a plurality or" type holding units removably mounted in said groove, one on each side of said support and comprising spaced plates having registering apertures therein, means for securing said plates together as a unit, a plurality of pieces of 

